Okay, so, I’ve been wanting to switch up the front door of my place for a while now. The old one was just so…blah. Plus, it wasn’t exactly doing a great job of keeping the cold out during winter. So, I finally decided to take the plunge and get a new one. And not just any door, but a prehung one with four glass panes. Fancy, right?
First things first, I had to pick out the door. I spent a good few hours browsing online and in stores. There are just so many options! Solid steel, wood, fiberglass, you name it. I ended up going with a fiberglass one. From what I read, they’re pretty tough and don’t require a ton of upkeep. Plus, they can look just like real wood, which is the vibe I was going for. The four glass panes were a must – I wanted more natural light in the entryway.
Once I had the door, the real fun began. Now, I’m no professional carpenter, but I’ve done my fair share of DIY projects around the house. Still, installing a whole door felt a bit daunting. But hey, it was a prehung door, which means it comes already attached to the frame, so that saved me some serious work.
- I started by removing the old door. Took off the doorknob and hinges, and with a little help from my neighbor, lifted that bad boy out of the frame.
- Next, I had to get the old frame out. This was probably the most annoying part. Lots of prying and trying not to damage the surrounding wall too much.
- Then came the moment of truth – putting in the new door and frame. We carefully lifted it into place.
- I spent a good amount of time making sure it was level and plumb. I used shims and lots of checking with a level to get it perfect.
- With the door in place and everything looking good, I started securing the frame to the wall studs. Screws, screws, and more screws!
- After that, it was all about the finishing touches. Installed the new doorknob and lock set, added some weather stripping around the frame to make sure it was nice and sealed. And lastly, put some trim around the frame to give it a clean, finished look.
Result
It took the better part of a day, but man, was it worth it! The new door looks amazing. Totally changes the whole look of the house from the outside. And those four glass panes let in so much more light. It’s like a whole new entryway.
Honestly, it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. If you’re thinking about replacing your front door, I say go for it! Just do your research, take your time, and don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it.